That Final Step
by jo taylor
Summary: A short one off addendum to Haunted. A little domestic, a lot romantic - rather soppy but I couldn't help myself. Rated T for a couple of mentions of 'sex' eek!


This has been on the back burner for ages, but I finally sat and got it on paper, so to speak. A little one off that's rather domestic and a little soppy. Set a decade after the end of Haunted. Won't mean a thing if you haven't read that one though – big grin.

THAT FINAL STEP.

Jo Taylor

Dani leaned against the windowsill and looked out the bedroom window. Since they'd moved in the garden had been cleared to give a long view down beautifully kept lawns to the Zen garden Charlie had installed, and beyond that to the summerhouse which had been refurbished.

Along each side of the garden, large trees hid them from the outside world. It was idyllic and not what she had ever expected to enjoy. She was a city girl through and through, or so she had thought. But she would not want to give up the peace she had learned to experience. Charlie, this house, her family all brought her so much joy it sometimes hurt to think what she had once been.

Not that her temper didn't flare now and then, after all Charlie hadn't tamed her that much. She grinned to herself, thinking of the last argument they'd had and how they had made up afterwards. There was a lot to be said for Zen patience and Charlie's attention to details. Just thinking about it made her body flush and a tingle of need trickle through her nerve endings.

It was still early but everyone was up. Charlie spent a half hour every morning practicing Tai Chi, followed by meditation in the Zen garden – weather permitting, returning to the house buzzing with energy. If it were still dark outside, or raining, he'd move to the ballroom and practice there – he said he found the space harmonious. When the kids were younger he'd come back to bed and they'd spend another hour or two working some of that energy out of him.

He was doing his exercises now, his body in fluid motion as he stretched and seamlessly moved from one position to another. She found herself imagining that solid body unclothed, muscles tensing and relaxing and felt her heart rate start to rise. This wouldn't do, wouldn't do at all.

She made her way slowly through the house, and down the garden until she was close enough to hear her family breathing in unison. David was matching his father's moves, the two in perfect synchronicity. He'd started watching Charlie when he was around a year old. Dani would come and sit on the porch of the summerhouse and watch her husband meditate. She still hadn't joined him in that, it seemed one step too far for her, but just being close by as he let the world spin beneath him had bled into her. She'd taken to bringing the children down too, and as they got older they'd slid off her lap and gone to sit by him. The calm he generated kept the usually boisterous outpourings to a minimum. By the time David was three he'd started to follow Charlie in his Tai Chi movements too. Getting frustrated and vocal when he couldn't do what his father did. But Charlie was an excellent teacher and by the time little Lauren had been old enough to sit at her father's side, David was almost as proficient as his father.

Dani's hand slid to her stomach and rested lightly against the flat skin. Did Charlie know? There was no sign yet, and she'd never been particularly regular, but in her heart she was pretty sure that they were expecting again. Remembering last night, she thought he knew; he'd spent a lot of time bringing her to orgasm, his movements gentle and measured – not that he was anything but a generous lover, but last night had seemed special somehow. He always got so very protective of her when she was pregnant, as though she were the first woman to go through the process and needed to be handled with kid gloves. That didn't stop her from demanding her conjugal rights though, and they'd been satisfyingly inventive throughout both her previous pregnancies.

Boy or girl? She didn't mind and neither would Charlie, he doted on them both with total impartiality.

Taking her seat on the verandah, she watched them settle to meditate, David assuming a lotus position in imitation of his father, Lauren sprawling herself across Charlie's legs, her head against his chest, thumb in her mouth and in moments she was asleep. It never failed to move her, the way her family loved each other. Dani felt a tear slip down her cheek - damn hormones. Charlie was looking at her now, concern in his eyes. She shook her head, smiled and then got up and moved to her family. Sitting beside Charlie she crossed her legs, and closed her eyes and for the first time in a decade tried to let the world spin without her – and panicked. A moment later, Charlie's hand slid over hers in a gentle clasp and suddenly she was anchored again. His voice was very soft as he spoke. "Slow, deep breaths, sweetheart, I won't let you go." The warmth of his fingers seemed to drift into her – and she smiled, Charlie would always be there to catch her, no matter how frustrating she might find it on occasion.

It wasn't long before Lauren woke again and the quiet was at an end. She patted her father's chest and whispered. "Can I tell her yet?"

Charlie glanced down at his daughter, his blue eyes twinkling, lifted a finger to his lips and shushed her. She giggled, copied his actions and shushed back.

"Tell me what?" Dani said, eying the smiling faces turned to her with some suspicion. As one, they lifted their fingers and shushed her, then burst into laughter.

"Charlie?"

He grinned, shook his head and stood up in a fluid motion, taking his daughter with him. Dropping her to her feet, he tapped her bottom, and sent her and David scurrying back to the house to wash and dress.

When they were alone, walking slowly back to the house, he took her hand in his. Ever since they'd stepped over that invisible threshold he'd been reaching out to her, a slow caress on her arm, a quick kiss to the cheek, holding her hand or whispering naughty things in her ear – every connection building on the simmering passion they felt for one another. She glanced up at him now, noting the changes in him. Calmer now than he'd ever been, he radiated warmth and reliability; not that the steel that honed him was gone, far from it – her husband had a hard core that not even this idyllic life had managed to soften, though it rarely saw the light of day now. The laughter lines in his face were deeper, the hair now saw the odd touch of grey and his eyes held a wealth of living, but he was still the Charlie she had first fought with and then come to love more than anything else except their children.

"Well, are you going to tell me or do I get it out of one of the kids? You know they are both dying to tell me all the gory details."

His hand tightened on hers. "Tonight, when the kids are in bed, I'll tell you then. Patience is a virtue, remember."

She opened her mouth to give him back a smart answer but he forestalled her, leaning down to capture her mouth in a kiss that held promises of pleasures to come. Okay, so maybe she'd let him win this round, her arms sliding around his neck whilst her fingers dug into his shoulders.

David was standing at the back door a long-suffering look on his face as he watched his parents kissing. He was nearly nine, going on ninety some days, or so Dani thought as they broke apart and saw his disapproval. Charlie grabbed her hand again and walked past his son messing up David's hair as he passed, "Wait until you're older, you'll understand."

The kids were in bed, the house was quiet and Dani was searching for her husband. He had been gone for some hours but he hadn't told her where he was going. The house was so big that early on in their marriage they'd started to leave each other notes, it had begun as a practical solution and ended as another way to ratchet up the heat level between them, though they had to be careful in case the kids found them. She entered their bedroom, half expected to find him sprawled and ready on the bed. All day they'd been teasing and touching, sending glances to one another that had the kids running out of the room at one point, not that they weren't used to their parents behaviour, in fact it had become quite a game for them as well. Dani put it down to her rising hormone levels - Charlie didn't need an excuse.

Propped on her pillow was an envelope. Smiling, she opened it and slid out the folded sheet of paper. In Charlie's firm handwriting was a brief note

**Wife****Meet me in the ballroom, dress appropriately.****Your loving Husband**

Now what was he up to? Dress appropriately? Did he want her to pull out one of those fancy gowns she'd worn when they had held Charity Balls here the last few years? Doubtful. He'd called her 'wife' so something personal. It wasn't his birthday or hers, not their anniversary for a couple of months yet, so what… Oh! She smiled and went to the closet, rummaging until she found what she was looking for. Twenty minutes later she walked up to the ballroom, hips swaying as she teetered on the high heels that had been relegated to the cupboard after giving birth to David. The little black dress still fit, just. Her breasts had got bigger, but Charlie didn't mind that, and they pushed a little higher showing a lot of cleavage.

As she opened the door, the strains of Moon River floated through the air, the French windows stood open letting in the warm evening air and Charlie stood waiting for her in the suit he'd worn that night they'd danced for the first time.

It seemed a strange night to remember with such fondness. She'd been thrown down the stairs and ended up in hospital, there had been a dead body on this same wooden floor, but it was also the night that Dani had let herself take a step towards Charlie, to acknowledge her feelings for him – and the first time she'd kissed him.

She moved into his arms and leant her head against his shoulder as she had that night. They fit so nicely, her body curved against his, his mouth hovering by her ear, the odd butterfly light kiss on sensitive skin.

The music stopped, but Dani stayed in his arms moving enough so that her lips could reach his neck. "So, husband, what has the kids so excited."

Charlie's breathing was a little heavy, and she smiled against his skin enjoying his reaction.

"I bought you a little anniversary gift," he replied. "Only I think the kids are going to highjack it."

She could hear the smile in his voice and turned her face up to his, catching the sparkle in his eyes.

"Just what have you done?" Suspicious now.

There was a giggle from the far end of the room and a moment later Lauren, followed closely by her older brother, popped into view, both youngsters dressed in their pyjamas.

"Can we tell her now?" Lauren blurted out.

Charlie grinned his assent and the children ran out of the room, coming back moments later. David was carrying a pet store box with the utmost care, Lauren bouncing beside him. From inside could be heard the faint sound of something moving.

David lowered the box to the floor and opened the lid.

"Happy anniversary, sweetheart," Charlie whispered and gave Dani a little push toward the box.

"Well, at least you didn't buy me a horse!" she said, flashing Charlie a wide smile.

She peered inside and then kicked off her shoes so that she could kneel down and get closer. "Oh my," she breathed and put her hand inside. The children crowded around her both talking at once, about how they had helped choose and had kept it a secret for such a long time and did mom like it because they loved it and if mom didn't want him they'd have him…

Dani lifted the tiny black and white bundle from the box, her heart melting when the puppy's eyes opened and looked at her with such trust. A tiny pink tongue flitted out to lick her thumb and Dani felt the tears start again – damned hormones.

"He's beautiful, thank you." And she cuddled the soft bundle against her cheek.

After they finally got the children to bed, the puppy settled for the night and had gone to their own room they made love until they were both drained. Lying with her husband wrapped around her, Dani was half asleep when he murmured in her ear. "Do you mind I bought you a dog? I thought you were getting a little broody and he needed a mom."

Dani had always rejected having an animal in the place, they were too much of a tie she'd said, and she already had the children to look after and Charlie wasn't much better.

"Broody huh? Well it's a good job you're disgustingly rich; did you see the size of his feet, he's going to be enormous when he grows up, eating us out of house and home!"

Charlie's hand slid down to her abdomen and settled there warm and heavy against her skin. "Boy or girl?" he said softly.

"How about twins?" she replied, trying to rattle his Zen calm.

"Or triplets," he quipped back. "Not as if we don't have the space."

"Charlie Crews!" She turned and pounced on him, flattening him against the bed. "Wasn't I the size of a house the last time, how big do you want me to get? And the hassle I had to get back into shape…"

Charlie dragged her down and stopped her tirade with his kiss, not stopping until he felt her relax against him.

"Don't you know by now I don't care how big you get, whether you still fit into that little black dress or not, I only care that you are happy and that you love me and will let me love you."

He kissed her again, holding her tight against him.

"You are an idiot, Charlie," she managed, in between his kisses and her responses. "Try stopping me from loving you."

"Crying?" he said, licking the salty trail from her cheek.

Damned hormones.

The end.


End file.
